Exploring the Warrenville Public Library Collections

Main menu

Monthly Archives: February 2015

Book – Many thought the Spains had the perfect life. Sweethearts as teenagers, they are happily married with two wonderful children. They buy their dream starter house in a luxury development in Broken Harbor near Dublin. But something goes horrifically wrong! Patrick and the children are brutally murdered and Jenny the wife and mother is miraculously found still alive at the murder scene, but barely. It is up to veteran detective Mick “Scorcher” Kennedy and his new rookie partner Richie Curran to solve the crime. As the detectives further their investigation they find that things are not what they seem. The victims’ façade of the good life begins to unravel and secrets and various suspects surface including the Spains themselves. We also learn of Kennedy’s mysterious attachment to Broken Harbor. The author, Tana French, is a master of psychological suspense and this book will not disappoint. This is the fourth book in the Dublin Murder Squad series. They do not need to be read in order, but if interested, here are the titles in sequence: In the Woods, The Likeness, Faithful Place, Broken Harbor, and The Secret Place.

Book- Fool Moon is the second book in a sixteen book series (with an additional eight short stories based in the world.) This audio book is read by James Marsters.

Fool Moon deals with the notorious gangster ‘Gentleman’ Johnny Marcone and the repercussions of the events from the previous book, however you do not need to read it to understand what’s happening, it’s just more fun that way.

Harry is broke and hungry and so listens to someone that needs his help over a steak dinner. This slip opens up an investigation involving five different flavors of were-wolves and endangers his life over, and over, and over, and over again. Basically a normal day in the life of Chicago’s only practicing wizard. With his wits and a whole lot of anger he works his way through a case that makes him look at humanity and the creatures of the Never-Never a little differently.

I adore this series and have read it no less than four times. A heroic tale ala Don Quixote, Harry always tries to do the right thing; even if it’ll kill him. This is my first time listening to it and I love it. James Marsters does a phenomenal job giving life to the various characters.

Book – Henghis Hapthorn is a creature of logic. He uses his skills and talents to solve puzzles for the elite of the Archonate, the vast empire of human colonies spread throughout known space. Recently, though, he’s suffered a few setbacks. A dangerous encounter with a rogue magician – rare in this age of science and reason – has transformed Hapthorn’s computer assistant into an animal familiar, which now needs to sleep and eat, and has developed a personality of its own. Worse, the intuitive part of his mind has become its own person, and Hapthorn finds himself having increasingly bitter disagreements with himself. And now the Archon himself has hired Hapthorn to investigate a mystery that goes back to the origins of the Archonate, deep within the last age of magic, which may cause the foundations of the world to turn, leaving Hapthorn’s valued logic entirely useless.

Hughes’s prose is elaborate and ornate, making this relatively short book a somewhat denser read than I was planning on, but I loved it anyway. Hapthorn is a Sherlock Holmes type, but with problems Holmes never had (Watson never passed out in the middle of the action, or refused to work without regular deliveries of exotic fruit). The mystery is well-constructed, but the real joy is in exploring the universe Hughes has created, one based on science but where magic is real and increasingly important in the most important events of the universe.

Movie –This is the award winning 2013 documentary about the widening income gap and its devastating impact on the American economy. It features Robert Reich, an American political economist, professor, author, and political commentator. Time magazine named him one of the Ten Best Cabinet Members of the Century, and the Wall Street Journal placed him sixth on its list of the “Most Influential Business Thinkers.” Inequality for All is both an interesting history of the life of Rhodes Scholar Robert Reich, and a penetrating explanation of the erosion of the middle class in America. The film is an intimate portrait of a man whose lifelong goal remains protecting those who are unable to protect themselves. It describes the historical events that have led to massive consolidation of wealth by a precious few and why this threatens the viability of the American workforce and the foundation of democracy itself. Dr. Reich is funny, engaging, critical, realistic, and humane in his moral message about the current crisis of the U.S. income gap and the growth of poverty in the United States. Reich has published 14 books, including Reason, Supercapitalism, and the best selling Beyond Outrage. The film is well researched and valid and throws a very bright light on why ordinary people can barely make ends meet. Reich is currently Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy at the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley.

Movie – The Hundred Foot Journey is a wonderful movie about rivalry, family, love and self-discovery. In the midst of political unrest, the Kadam family’s restaurant is set on fire resulting in the death of their matriarch and chef and loss of their family business. The father and his children flee India for Europe and by chance they settle in a small village in France. The oldest son Hassan learned much about cooking from his mother, so the family decides to open a restaurant. It is located directly across the street from an exclusive haute cuisine restaurant owned by Madame Mallory, who is obsessed with earning another Michelin star for fine dining. As you can imagine, Madame is none too pleased with her new neighbors’ eatery complete with a garish Taj Mahal facade and blasting Bollywood music. To further complicate things there is a growing romance between Kadam and Madame’s sous chef, Marguerite. Totally delightful and guaranteed to stimulate your culinary senses. We also have the book by Richard C. Morais, The Hundred Foot Journey, that the move is based on.

Book – King’s most recent novel has been hailed as a return to classic form, closer to a real horror novel than he’s written in a while. If you go into it looking for that, you might be disappointed, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fascinating. The story follows two men, narrator Jamie Morton and the man he refers to as his “fifth business,” the catalyst to all the really important events of his life, Reverend Charles Jacobs. Charlie (as he prefers to be called) is fascinated by “special electricity” all his life, but his interest takes a darker turn when his wife and son are killed in a car crash. After that – well, a horror novel called Revival with a lightning bolt on the cover does evoke a certain famous Doctor F., after all.

Revival isn’t as focused as the classic King novel it most evokes, Pet Sematary, and dealing as it does with similar themes and ideas, it suffers by the comparison. Where the plot meanders, though, the characters pick up the slack, and a few genuinely creepy moments (Jamie’s birthday-party nightmare sticks in the mind) carry you through rapidly to the end. The ending is, at least, classic Stephen King – sprawling, grotesque, and a little out of left field.

Book – Yes Please boldly presents personal stories and thoughts from the star of Parks and Recreation, Saturday Night Live, and Baby Mama. Rather than proceeding strictly chronologically, this autobiography humorously weaves through short chapters on topics such as being a teenager in the eighties, personal beauty, and her bond with her sons. Her passion for improvisational comedy is evident from several anecdotes relating to her starving artist days spent learning from “gurus” of the craft, co-founding The Upright Citizens Brigade, and working part-time at Chicago’s Second City.

It was refreshing to listen to this memoir narrated by a quick-to-laugh author and her assorted celebrity-friends that included: Patrick Stewart, Kathleen Turner, Seth Meyers, and Poehler’s parents. Poehler’s levity obviously infected them as well. Utilizing humor she effectively communicates deeper emotions when describing the difficulties of divorce, traveling in a third-world country, and dealing with guilt. Another advantage of the audiobook is the final chapter, which is recorded in front of a live audience at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater.

Music – This is the new album from Andre Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra, released in November 2014. Andre offers you his hand and invites you on a journey through the Venice night via gondola. It is a declaration of love to perhaps the most beautiful city in the world, and provides a popular selection of the most well-known Italian melodies. It is the theme Andre chose for his 10th anniversary of the Vrijthof concerts, from the romantic Dutch square in Maastricht, The Netherlands. Andre Rieu is the world’s best-selling classical musician. He has received more than 400 Platinum and 171 Gold Awards, and Love in Venice went straight to No. 1 on the Classical Charts. Andre and the Johann Strauss Orchestra – between 80 and 150 musicians – travel around the world performing about 100 concerts per year. They are as successful as some of the biggest global pop and rock music acts. Rieu is known as the modern day “Waltz King,” a title originally bestowed upon Johann Strauss II. He plays a 1667 Stradivarius violin, and he and his wife, Marjorie, do all the arrangements of the famous songs. I loved all of the music, but especially “Love in Venice,” “Volare,” and “That’s Amore.” There are 18 songs on Love in Venice, but the DVD has many more and is incredibly beautiful, festive and colorful. So sit back and allow your imagination to drift into gorgeous, romantic Venice with wonderful Italian music.